QUANTUM AND NONLINEAR OPTICS GROUP

[Optical cooling and trapping of neutral atoms]
[Nonlinear magneto-optics]
[Optical nonlinear effects in dense atomic vapours]
[Medical and biological effects of low-level laser radiation]
[View photos of our experiments]
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Optical cooling and trapping of neutral atoms
Our group works with several magneto-optical traps (MOTs) for Rb atoms since 1997. We concentrate on novel methods of cold-atom diagnostics based on nonlinear spectroscopy. With the pump-probe method we simultaneously record the absorption and four-wave mixing spectra. Analysis of such spectra allows live determination of the properties of cold-atom sample in a working MOT.

The group takes part in the activity of the National Laboratory of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (AMO) in Toruń. We prepare the apparatus for and first experiments with the Bose-Einstein condensation in 87Rb atoms.
Additionally, we start experiments with an optical dipole trap (with CO2 laser) and highly excited cold atoms in a MOT, aiming at optical lattices, and cold Rydberg atoms.
Nonlinear magneto-optics
We are interested in nonlinear effects that are related with quantum interference in atoms (atomic coherences). We concentrate mainly on changes of light velocity and precision magnetometry. Present experiments with Rb atoms in room temperatures will be extended onto cold atoms in a MOT with the hope of gaining better sensitivity and precision.
Optical nonlinear effects in dense atomic vapours
Propagation of intense light pulses in a dense atomic sample results in many interesting effects, such as intriguing phenomena of cone emission and collision/noise-induced interference.
Such effects are very challenging because of the wealth of processes taking place simultaneously and their studies require well determined experimental conditions. Our both groups (Quantum & Nonlinear Optics Group and Plasma Spectroscopy Group) possesses unique apparatus allowing such a research. One interesting interpretation of some of these effects is in terms of laser-induced photonic band-gap structures. We are planning systematic study of such a relation.
Medical and biological effects of low-level laser radiation
Low intensity lasers have been applied for treatment of numerous diseases although the physical mechanism of their effect is very unclear. We attempt to perform a systematic study of the low-intensity laser illumination of several biological samples aiming at determining possible correlations between given biological effects and specific laser light parameters. Our preliminary studies of blood morphological parameters gave very encouraging results by exhibiting a distinct correlation. Our further aim is to optimize the effect and search for its biophysical model.